Tag: jazzcast

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JazzCast Ep. 27: Wycliffe Gordon!

squareIn regards to his experiences walking the streets of Berlin, Wycliffe Gordon states: “I saw the thing that music does, and has done… time and time again… it shatters all of those things that separate us.” In this interview, Mr. Gordon tells stories about his experience in Germany, how Louis Armstrong stopped a war, and how the JLCO‘s performance of Ellington/Strayhorn’s Peer Gynt Suite helped break the proverbial “glass wall.” Please enjoy this episode of the JazzCast, where we dig into the music on his latest album, “Hello Pops.”

Mentioned in this podcast (in no particular order)

The beautiful thing about podcasting is that there is no time limit. It gives the artist a platform to share their insights, views, and stories related to their music. This interview was especially inspirational to me because it reminded me of my time at MSU, and specifically the Martin Luther King Jr. concert we did each year. This interview, along with my experiences at MSU, inspired me to create the Jazz and Freedom Festival, which happened MLK weekend in January 2015. Although we recorded this in the summer of 2014, it’s timeless. Thank you Wycliffe Gordon for your inspiration and beautiful artistry!

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JazzCast Ep. 25: Donal Fox

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Welcome back to the JazzCast! Today we have an interview with jazz pianist Donal Fox! He will be performing this Friday, April 10th, 2015, at AMP by Strathmore, located at 11810 Grand Park Avenue North Bethesda, MD 20852. Show starts at 8 pm.

With an encyclopedic ear and ravishing technique, Donal Fox draws on a vast repertoire in this solo piano concert that includes works by and based on J.S. Bach, Thelonious Monk, George Frideric Handel, John Coltrane, Frédéric Chopin, Radiohead, Robert Schumann, Ornette Coleman, John Dowland, Horace Silver and more.

Here are some additional questions that we didn’t get a chance to look at:

SG: Do you have any projects you’re working on, or any upcoming concerts or releases?

DF: Touring with my Inventions Trio this year with the great Cuban drummer, percussionist Dafnis Prieto in the drum chair.  Lot’s of solo piano concerts and special duet concerts with cellist Maya Beiser and the Fox Wolf Duo with Warren Wolf on vibraphone.

Donal Fox Inventions Trio

Newman Center for the Performing Arts

Cal Performances, Zellerbach Hall

Chautauqua Institute Amphitheater

Fox Wolf Duo
Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

 

SG: Any good books you recommend?

DF: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin Kelley

 

SG: What apps do you use?

Fitbit

Yelp

Opentable

Delta Airlines

Photo credit by Lou Jones

Mentioned in this podcast:

(coming soon…)

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JazzCast Ep. 24: Reginald Cyntje Part 2

JazzCast_Ep24_Reginald_Cyntje_2Welcome back to the JazzCast, Episode 24, where we finish up an interview with Reginald Cyntje!  I’m happy to state that Reginald’s album, “Elements of Life” was just named one of the top five albums for 2014 by CapitalBop blog. Go Reggie! (And every album on that list is excellent, please check them out!) In this episode we get deep into the meaning behind the music as well as more philosophical matters. You can also check out more of Reginald’s music by going to the previous episode as well.  Most of all please support Reginald by purchasing his album on CDBaby, iTunes, Amazon, or from his website. He is running a 20% sale so check it out! Also please check out his new book, Stepping Stones, 15 studies in improvisation! I believe that Reginald wrote a bunch of new music since this episode (which was recorded in August) so please keep an eye out for what he puts together in 2015, I know it will be great. I hope you enjoy this in depth interview!

Mentioned in this podcast:

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JazzCast Ep. 21: JS Williams!

square_finalWelcome to the JazzCast! Today I have an awesome and touching interview with JS Williams, jazz cat and trumpet player from New York. I was really thankful to be able to find a few minutes as he runs back and forth between DC and NY to be able to dig into his latest album, the “Late Bluemer.” He plays with a stellar cast of musicians, including:

What I liked most about this interview was the fact that I would have never known the meaning behind the songs “Grim Reaper,” “Ambivalence,” and “Submission” without sitting down and talking about it. It gives a whole new meaning to his music, and as always, JS tells it like it is! I was also really impressed at his tribute to his various teachers – his father, grandmother, his middle school teacher, and Josh Landris – who taught him one lesson but made an everlasting impact. In honor of all the parents making this the “true” teacher appreciation week I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Please support JS Williams by downloading the songs if you like them!

Click here to access JS William’s iTunes album: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-late-bluemer/id604034578 

Click here to access “The Late Bluemer” on CDBaby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jswilliams

Mentioned in this podcast: (links coming soon!)

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JazzCast Ep. 15: Jeff Antoniuk Part 1

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Here you will find an interview with Jeff Antoniuk, jazz saxophonist and educator from the metropolitan D.C. area. This episode is the first part in a two part series – please check back for the second part to go up tomorrow. Jeff is an internationally respected jazz saxophonist and holds his own education programs to service adult learners, to include the Maryland Summer Jazz Workshop, InDepth Jazz Clinics, and the Jazz Band Masterclass. This year he will be pulling in several high class artists to help him with Maryland Summer Jazz, including: Peter Fraize on sax, Jimmy Haslip on bass, Jim McFalls on trombone, Marty Morrison on drums, Kenny Rittenhouse on trumpet, Donato Soviero on guitar, and Helen Sung on piano. Whew, what a lineup! Additionally, his “Jazz Update” and “MARS 4-tet” groups will play at various locations around DC in the near future. Here are a couple of his upcoming shows:

  • July 18, 2014 – Jazz Update at the Westminster Church in Washington, D.C. for Friday night Jazz. 6 – 9 pm, $5 cover, 400 I Street SW DC. Tickets are sold at the door.
  • July 22, 2014 – MARS 4-tet featuring Jimmy Haslip on bass will be playing at Bethesda Blues and Jazz Club. 7:30 pm, $22, 7719 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814. Click here to get tickets.
  • July 22 – 25, 2014 – Maryland Summer Jazz Workshop – this is a four day workshop for older adults and features multiple master classes as well as a end concert for all the faculty. The end concert (featuring students and faculty) is on July 25 from 7 – 10 pm at Saint Mark Presbyterian Church at 10701 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda, Maryland 20852. Tickets are $20.

Songs in this podcast include:

  1. Isfahan – from the Jazz Update album titled “Brotherhood”
  2. Screwball – from the Jazz Update album titled “Brotherhood”
  3. Brotherhood – from the Jazz Update album titled “Brotherhood”
  4. The Blind Watchmaker – from the MARS 4-tet album titled “The Blind Watchmaker”

Mentioned in this episode:

 

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JazzCast Ep. 14: Aaron Quinn, guitar!

Aaron_quinn_front.jpgHello everyone! I am very happy to bring to you this interview with Aaron Quinn, a jazz guitarist who hails from Columbus, Ohio. From “Liver Quiver” to “Surfs Up Hose Down,” Aaron was very generous with his time and his explanations of the tunes he picked for us to hear.  This is great music, people! I will update the site throughout the week with all the names that were mentioned in this podcast. In the meantime, here are the songs, in order of appearance: (you can download most of these from his band camp, linked up below)

  1. “No, but I think You’re Neat” – Liver Quiver
  2. “My Ordinary, No Avail” – Liver Quiver
  3. “The Ocean Gets its Saltiness from the Tears of Misunderstood Sharks (Who Just Want To Cuddle)” – Surfs Up, Hose Down
  4. “Bad Girls Go To Hell” – Surfs Up, Hose Down
  5. “Michalec” – Aaron Quinn Nonet
  6. “Chain Smoke Your F(@&$ Heart Out” – Aaron Quinn Nonet
  7. “Weird Doors Open, People Fall Into Things” – Aaron Quinn Nonet
  8.  “I Apologize for My S@#$% Cooking” – Liver Quiver

If you liked his music, maybe you’d like to see him as he goes about his Midwest Tour? Liver Quiver will be performing: Team Players East Coast/Midwest Tour

  • July 10: Team Players. UNC Chapel Hill (NC). (w/Dickens Campaign)
  • July 11: Team Players. Elsewhere (Greensboro, NC)
  • July 12: Team Players. Sharp Nine (Durham, NC)
  • July 13: Team Players. DC Jazz Loft (Washington DC)
  • July 14: Team Players. Nova (Woodbridge, VA)
  • July 14: Billy Wolfe’s Tetradectet. Bohemian Caverns (Washington DC)
  • July 15: Billy Wolfe’s Tetradectet. An Die Musik (Baltimore, MD)
  • July 17: Fields and Planes. Garden Theater (Columbus, OH) 10:00pm
  • July 18: Insane Jazz Posse. Jazz and Ribs Fest. 11:00am-12:30pm
  • July 18: Billy Wolfe’s Tetradectet. Brothers Drake. 5:00pm-9:00pm
  • July 18: Oliver Oak. Rumba Cafe. 9:00pm-2:ooam
  • July 19: Billy Wolfe’s Octet. Dick’s Den. 10:00pm-2:00am
  • July 21: Liver Quiver/Team Players. TBD (Cincinnati, OH)
  • July 22: Liver Quiver/Team Players. Natasha’s (Lexington, KY)
  • July 23: Liver Quiver/Team Players. Dreamland (Louisville, KY) – Team Players
  • July 24: Liver Quiver/Team Players. Black Sparrow (Lafayette, IN) – Team Players
  • July 25: Liver Quiver/Team Players. Merriman’s (South Bend, IN) – Team Players
  • July 27: Billy Wolfe’s Tetradectet. Phyllis’ Musical Inn (Chicago, IL)
  • July 27: Team Players. Hungry Brain (Chicago, IL)
  • July 28: Liver Quiver/Team Players. Gr8 Collapsin (Ann Arbor, MI)
  • July 29: Liver Quiver/Team Players. Detroit Contemporary (Detroit, MI)

The websites for Liver Quiver are here: http://liverquiver.bandcamp.com, http://liverquiverband.wordpress.com. Aaron Quinn’s website is at http://theatrociousspeller.wordpress.com.

This podcast took about 10 hours to finish. Apparently people are listening, so I wanted it to sound good. I had to edit out all my talking on the phone conversation, although you’ll hear a few little blips. I really believe in what Aaron’s doing, and hope others will connect if they like it too! Leave me a comment! More info coming soon… Mentioned in this podcast:

more coming later! … TBC

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JazzCast Episode 11: Marty Nau

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This is a podcast is an interview with Marty Nau, DC based alto saxophonist. Marty can be found playing all over the metropolitan DC area, including at Twins Jazz Club, with the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, with the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra out of GMU, and with the Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra. This interview was really fun for me because none of his music is available online; you have to purchase a physical CD (which you can only get from him, or perhaps on Amazon). He’s old fashioned in that way and proud of it. He has self produced several albums; this podcast will feature songs from his project with strings and his clarinet project arranged by Scott Silbert.  If you’d like to know more about his mentor and favorite jazz musician, you can read his interview with NEA Jazz Master Phil Woods by clicking here. If you like his playing, you can hear him this weekend at Twins Jazz Club at 14th and U St. in Washington, DC! May 9th and 10th at 8 and 10 pm sets, $16 tickets with $10 minimum with Steve Williams. Thanks for listening! Please subscribe and review on iTunes if you get a chance.

Mentioned in this podcast:

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JazzCast Episode 8: Timothy Whalen Part 1

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Welcome to Episode 8 of the JazzCast, the podcast dedicated to curated listening sessions with jazz musicians! Today’s episode is part one of an interview with Timothy Whalen, DC based jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He is playing with his four horn septet this weekend at Twins Jazz on U Street in DC, so come on out and listen if you enjoy this music! March 28 – 29, 8 and 10 pm sets, http://twinsjazz.com.

Mentioned in this podcast:

 

 

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JazzCast Ep2: Interview with Billy Wolfe

JazzCast_Ep2_BillyWolfe***UPDATED! I added new songs by Billy Wolfe and leveled out the volumes a bit.*** Finally got this up! A little late, unfortunately. But the music is good, so here it is. I hope you enjoy this second episode of the JazzCast which includes an interview with saxophonist Billy Wolfe.

Billy plays saxophone(s) in the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra as well as teaches private lessons and puts concerts together for his band, “Billy Wolfe and the Composer’s TetraDectet.” He pulls people from all over the midwest, east coast, and west coast to play new music by himself and guitarist Aaron Quinn. I was really happy to hear his bootleg recording; I had never heard any of his band’s music before. We listened to a recording of a piece by Aaron Quinn titled “The Thing About Tomorrow…” as well as a piece by Billy titled “Amethyst.” At the end we had a mini-curated-listening-session with a piece called Understandable by Fields and Planes, an indie rock band from Columbus. It’s always fun to hear new music and I hope you enjoy this episode! Thanks for stopping by!